Eight men in federal custody on child sex trafficking charges

FORT WORTH – Eight men are in federal custody on child sex trafficking charges as outlined in a federal criminal complaint filed last week, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.

The following individuals were charged and have made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey L. Cureton:

Pierre Lagrone, aka “P” or “Pedro,” 33

Robert Roseberry, aka “King Rose,” 29

Herman Sanders, aka “Pooh,” 29

Reginald Smith, aka “Green Light,” 28

Demarcus Davis, aka “Zigg,” 25

Kentrell Davis, aka “Zeal,” 24

Cederrick Clarkson, aka “Ced” or “Spazz,” 25

Terroderick Watts, aka “Silk,” 27

They have been remanded to custody pending additional court hearings.

According to the affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, in March of 2017, the Fort Worth Police Department’s VICE Unit conducted a recovery operation in response to a tip sent from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

The lead was in reference to a suspected victim of child sex trafficking.

The Fort Worth VICE Unit located and utilized an advertisement containing photographs of a minor girl on a website known for sex trafficking. The ad reportedly offered commercial sex acts.

As a result of the operation, the girl was recovered. Two other minor girls were also located in a closet located in Jane Doe 1’s hotel room at the time she was recovered.

The three girls, and others, were believed to be victims of a child sex trafficking organization.

Lagrone, Roseberry, Sanders, Smith, Demarcus Davis, Kentrell Davis, Clarkson and Watts were members of that organization and allegedly recruited, advertised and sold several women, both adults and underage for the purpose of commercial sex.

According to the press release:

The men worked together frequently as an organization by utilizing some of the same underage and adult female victims to engage in commercial sex acts.

The group operated out of the same hotels while engaging in a commercial sex enterprise by transporting female victims for the purpose of commercial sex acts.

They used and shared cellphones to post ads for commercial sex on that same website and took photographs of female victims either nude or in their underwear to use in website ads for commercial sex.

The men obtained hotel rooms that were then used to engage in commercial sex activities. They were also frequently violent if the females angered them or did not follow their directions.

The government has 30 days to present the matter to a grand jury for indictment. The maximum statutory penalty for the offense as charged is life in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

The U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Worth, Tyler and Arlington police departments are investigating. Assistant U.S. Attorney P.J. Meitl is in charge of the prosecution.